BIO2003Literature Searching
Searching, retrieving information and locating library materials
Kathy McGowan and Lesley Curtis-Brown
By the end of this session you should be able to:
Understand the range of library resources available to you.
Locate useful starting points such as the Library and IT pages on UniHub, including the Library Subject Guides
Be able to use the relevant online subject databases to find out what has been published in journals.
Getting started
A good starting point is the Library & IT pages on uniHub: http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/study/library/
From here you will find links to:- Library Catalogue - to see what is available at
Middlesex University Library Subject Guides - useful starting points
and links created by your subject librarian Electronic Resources - such as bibliographic
databases and on-line journals Also opening times, campus information &
helpsheets, especially Referencing Guide
What kind of information should I use and where do I get it from?
Books
Middlesex University Library catalogue Journals
To check availability, use the library catalogue. A journal may be available in print or online.
Example
Evaluating Internet Resources - Questions to ask
Who has written the material?
Is this a reliable source?
Is it peer reviewed?
Is it accurate and up to date?
Evaluation Presentation (Are the aims/methods/results clear?)
Relevance (Is this what I need? Will it answer my question?)
Objectivity (Balanced view? Opposing views represented?)
Method (How was the data collected? Were the methods appropriate?)
Provenance (Who is the author, site creator, organisation, scholarly/peer reviewed journals?)
Timeliness (How old is this information? Is it still accurate/relevant?)
Principles of Literature Searching
Define your question
Identify significant keywords
Identify related terms
Identify broader and narrower terms
Watch out for spelling and terminology e.g. English vs American
How do I log in to use online journals and databases?
Most online journals and databases require University subscription - not freely available.
Need to log in to show you are from a
subscribing institution
Login to My UniHub. Go to My Study, then My Library
Access e-resources from home & university
Occasionally...You may see this screen
Click on the link and login with your myUniHubusername and password.
If so, simply follow the link
...and if asked to login again, use your network/uniHub username and password
DatabasesMost databases provide bibliographic details of
articles published in professional journals including.…
- Author and Title of an article
- Journal in which it is printed
- Volume, Part and Page Numbers of the article
- Abstract, a brief summary of the article
- Subject KeywordsIn some cases there will be a link providing access to the full text
and/or information regarding the Library’s print holdings
Useful databases
Use these Databases to find out what journal articles have been published on your topic:
Medline - database of international biomedical literature Pubmed Central – freely available full text articles Science Citation Index - not full-text Social Science Citation Index - not full-text Science Direct – full text science database
Other useful resources
Law databases: Lexis Library & Westlaw– full text access to
international case law and legislation
Newspapers: Proquest - full text UK newspaper articles
Select Database list in My Library...
Science Citation Index (SCI) Search Screen
Combining Searches in SCI
SCI Results Screen
SCI results may not provide full text
Checking the library catalogue
Full Text
Full Text
Searching Science Direct
Restrict search to subscribed journals
Search results
The full text
Useful databases for EH students
Barbour - full text health & safety, fire safety, food safety and environment and environmental health information
Business Source Complete - full text & abstracting database includes peer reviewed (scholarly) and business journals. Coverage includes OHS & EH topics
Barbour
Barbour Document Library
Barbour Full Text
A Quick Search Demonstration
To look for peer reviewed journal articles on one of the following:
Hygiene & the transmission of cholera Health impact of asbestos exposure Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) & detection of
salmonella Land use and biodiversity Climate change and public health
Now it’s your turn
Try using one or more of the following:
Barbour Science Citation Index Science Direct
You may choose your own topic
Remember: Not all databases provide access to full-
text journal articles
Use library catalogue to check availability
You may use inter-library loan/other libraries
http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/study/library/resources/ill/index.aspx
SCONUL Access Scheme
SCONUL Access Scheme provides access to other academic libraries
For more information on the scheme visit the website
http://www.sconul.ac.uk/using_other_libraries/access/
To apply, ask at the library helpdesk
British Library
Use the British Library catalogue to check if material you require is held at St Pancras Reading Rooms
You will find a link to the catalogue & information on applying for a reader’s pass and the forms of ID required on the website:
http://www.bl.uk
Referencing
You must reference your work properly with full details of all resources used, e.g. books, journal articles, websites
Keep a record of what you are using from the start of your literature searching
For information on how to reference your work, see the Natural Sciences referencing guide in your module handbooks in My Learning
And finally...
Library and IT pages: on uniHub http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/study/library/index.aspx
Library Subject Guides:http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/biomedicalsciences
http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/risksafetyhealthenvironment Ask a Librarian http://askalibrarian.mdx.ac.uk/
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